NEWTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Newton city leaders on Thursday evening held a virtual meeting as police continue their search for a person of interest who was spotted near a number of recent break-ins in the city.
Since June 1, five house break-ins have been reported in the city on Walnut Street, Dedham Street, Helene Road, Quinobequin Road, and Country Club Road, according to a community advisory issued by Newton police.
All of the break-ins involved forced entry, occurred during the daytime, on a weekend with no one home, and all of the victims were of Asian descent, the advisory read.
Surveillance video of one of the break-ins shows the person of interest peeking through the windows of a house.
The suspect or suspects were able to get away with jewelry, cash, and handbags along with some other items during the string of break-ins, police said.
Detectives are actively seeking to learn if Asians are being specifically targeted but do not have any definitive information yet.
“I think it’s very important to call things what they are. These are targeted crimes,” Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan said.
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said, “This is very unsettling to all of us, and especially our Asian community, after such a difficult year and a half.”
Earlier this year, the city experienced two sets of a series of break-ins. The first started on March 15 and the second started on April 9. Those break-ins did not indicate that anyone was specifically targeted and investigations led to the arrest of three men.
Newton has had 45 residential break-ins so far this year.
Anyone with information regarding the recent break-ins is urged to call the Newton Police Department Detective Bureau at 617-796-2104 or use the anonymous tip line at 617-796-2121.
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